Lilla Teatern’s new play explores the search for one’s place between two cultures

Lilla Teatern’s new play explores the search for belonging between two cultures

Baba (Elihú Galván) loses his job and secretly begins working as a mascot at various events. One evening, a lavish party ends in disaster when Baba, dressed in a rabbit costume, sinks into a swimming pool. After the incident, his daughter (Antonia Atarah) begins searching for answers to how her father ended up in a situation where everything fell apart. He had spent years working to find his place in the new country.

The play explores what it feels like to be responsible for your parents in a new homeland. It examines the experience of having roots far removed from the reality in which you live, while also offering a moving portrayal of the relationship between a father and daughter.

“This is an incredibly powerful play that explores timely themes such as class and shame in a fresh and compelling way. It manages to be both deeply moving and entertaining,” says director Hallveig Eiríksdóttir, who is leading a multicultural creative team in this production.

“I recognise a great deal of my own background in this play. It brings a perspective to the stage that we rarely see. I know it can resonate with many others who feel excluded, less worthy or unable to make their voices heard,” says actor Antonia Atarah, who has Ghanaian roots and made her breakthrough in Ronja Ryövärintyttäressä at Svenska Teatern in 2023.

När Baba faller i poolen är klockan 23.47 received a special commendation from Spain’s National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (INAEM) in 2021 for its innovative theatrical language. The play’s language and rhythm draw on influences from different countries, cultures and ways of speaking. In Lilla Teatern’s version, the play has been adapted for Finland and features Somali, Spanish, English, Finnish, Arabic and Frafra, the language Atarah speaks with her own father.

The role of Baba is played by Elihú Galván, who moved from Mexico to Finland 22 years ago and has worked as an actor, theatre director and drama teacher, among other roles.

“My family jokes that I’ve always been a terrible actor and that my greatest achievement ultimately turned out to be a supporting role in a monologue. I travelled all the way to Finland with dreams of great success, but now I’m performing in a rabbit costume. That makes Baba a role I find funny, sad and enormously relatable all at once,” says Elihú Galván.

Swedish-Spanish playwright Astrid Menasanch Tobieson will travel to Helsinki to celebrate the premiere on 29 October. Menasanch Tobieson writes and directs socially engaged theatre distinguished by its philosophical and poetic approach. Humour and power relations emerge through the linguistic choices in her writing.

The performance is in Swedish. Finnish, Swedish and English surtitles are available through the Subtitle Mobile app.

On stage: Antonia Atarah and Elihú Galván. Written by Astrid Menasanch Tobieson. Directed by Hallveig Eiríksdóttir. Adapted for Finland by Kasimir Koski. Set and costume design by Riku Suvitie. Lighting and video design by Ville Tolvanen, sound design by Moe Mustafa. Mask design by Jutta Kainulainen.

När Baba faller i poolen är kl. 23.47, premiere 29.10.2026, Lilla Teatern, Yrjönkatu 30, Helsinki.

The play launches a three-year collaboration between Helsinki City Theatre, Wasa Teater and Åbo Svenska Teater. Each theatre will take turns producing one performance, which will subsequently be staged in the other cities. The performance season of När Baba faller i poolen är klockan 23.47 at Wasa Teater runs from 13.1.-2.2.2027 and at Åbo Svenska Teater from 11.2.-20.3.2027.

Read more about the play and the playwright on the website of Theatre Info Finland TINFO.

Ticket prices at Helsinki City Theatre: standard ticket 43 €, student ticket 21,50 € (Mon–Thu), senior ticket 40 € (Mon–Thu).

#närbabafalleripoolenärkl2347 @lilla.teatern @hktfi @abosvenskateater @wasateater

Helsinki City Theatre’s ticket sales and customer service are available by phone at (09) 3940 22, Mon–Fri 10–17. The ticket shop at Ensi linja 2 is open Mon–Fri 12–17. Ticket sales at Eläintarhantie 5 and the other stages open one hour before each performance. Tickets are also available from lippu.fi, Mon–Sat 9–19, tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/min+pvm) www.hkt.fi

Press release image: Antonia Atarah and Elihú Galván. Photographer: Heli Blåfield

Further information, media ticket reservations and interview requests:
Communications Planner Ida Virkkunen, ida.virkkunen@lillateatern.fi, 050 357 4250.
Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki